Loom



Aprifi W, 3956 A. GENTELJNi 297429058 LOOM Filed Jan. 4, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l IN V EN TOR. Ququsfo G-ewrmm BY Mam. ssmmk aq't- April 7, 1956 A. GENTILINI 2,742,058

LOOM

Filed Jan. 4, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 afg IN V EN TOR.

WM SHSMK UL United States Patent The present invention relates to looms, and more particularly to a loom including a rotary. shed forming device. According to the prior art, looms are generally provided with reciprocating heddle means for forming sheds in the warp threads through which the weft threads pass.

It is the object of the present invention to overcome the disadvantages of looms having reciprocating shed forming means, and to provide rotating shed forming means.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a rotary member over which the warps are guided, and to :provide shed forming means on the rotary member for continuously forming sheds in warp threads guided over the rotary member when the rotary member turns.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a set of weft-inserting needles which are advanced and retracted in axial direction of the rotary member into sheds formed by the shed forming means.

With these objects in view of the present invention mainly consists in a loom comprising a shed forming rotary member having a portion adapted to move in the direction of a set of warps which extend transverse to the axis of rotation of the shed forming member; shed forming means on said portion of the shed forming member spaced in circumferential and axial directions of the same and adapted to engage the warps and to simultaneously form a plurality of warp sheds during rotation of the shed forming member; and weft inserting needles movable in axial direction of the shed forming member for inserting wefts into the sheds formed by the shed forming means.

The present invention also consists in a shed forming device which comprises, in combination, a rotary member having an axis of rotation and a portion adapted to move along a circular path in the direction of a set of warps which extend transverse to the axis of rotation; a plurality of axially spaced sets of circumferentially spaced radially projecting warp supporting meanson the portion, each set of radially projecting warp supporting means moving along a circular path during rotation of the rotary member and being adapted to support a warp at spaced points of the warp during rotation of the rotary member, the

projecting warp supporting means of adjacent sets of'warp supporting means being staggered relative to each other in circumferential direction so that the points at which adjacent'warps are supported are staggered whereby sheds are formed in the warps during rotation of the rotary member; and a set of axially spaced separating wall portions, each of the wall portions being located intermediate two adjacent sets of warp supporting means, the separating wall portions being formed with circumferentially spaced cutouts, the wall portions of the set of wall portions being arranged with the cutouts aligned in axial direction of the rotary member and forming circumferentially spaced axially extending channels for guiding wefts, the cutouts and the channels being staggered in circumferential direction with respect to the projecting warp supporting means.

According to a preferred embodiment, a shed forming device of the present invention comprises a rotary drum 2,742,058 Patented Apr. 17, 1956 having an axis of rotation and being composed of two sets of alternately arranged transverse disc portions, each of the disc portions having a plurality of peripheral side faces and being formed with a plurality of notches, each notch located between two adjacent side faces, the disc portions of each of the sets being staggered relative to the disc portions of the other of the sets so that the notches of each set of disc portions are aligned to form a plurality of channels extendingin axial direction of the drum, the channels formed by the notches of the alternate sets of disc portions, respectively, being circumferentially staggered,

the side faces being adapted to support warp threads extending normal to the axis of the rotary member, and the channels formed by the notches of each of the sets being adapted to receive weft threads passing under warp threads supported on the side faces of the other set of disc portions.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary end view'of a loom according to the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary front view, partly in section, illustrating the needle actuating mechanism according to the present invention;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary exploded isometric view of a shed forming device used in the loom of the present invention;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary front view of a shed forming drum according to the present invention;

Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are fragmentary end views of modified embodiments of the shed forming drum;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary isometric view showing a weftinserting means; and

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary front view of a detail of the loom illustrating the sequence of the operation of the weft-inserting means. I

Referring now to the drawing, and more particularly to Fig. 1, a rotary shed-forming member 1 of generally cylindrical shape supports on a portion thereof the warps 2 which are let oh" by the warp beam 3. Between the rotary structure 1 and the Warp beam 3, stationary guide means 5, and a cam means 4 are arranged. Sheds are formed in the warps 2 passing over theshed forming member 1, and wefts 13 are inserted into the sheds formed in the warps 2 in a manner which will be described hereinafter in more detail. Thereby a web is formed which passes through guide member 6 and through the region of a cam means 3 to the transporting rollers 9 and 10 and is finally wound on the take-up beam 12. The transporting rollers 9, 10 are driven from the rotary member 1 through gear means 11, which include change speed gears for changing the transmission ratio in accordance with the desired texture of the woven web.

The rotary member 1 may be driven from shaft 1a, to rotate in the let-off direction of the warps as indicated by the arrows in Fig. l.

The shed-forming structure 1 preferably consists of a V plurality of discs, but can also be constructed as an integral member. The shed-forming structure 1 includes two sets of alternately arranged warp supporting disc portions 119 and 119a of which only one disc portion is shown in Fig. 3. Each disc portion has a plurality of flat surfacev portions or side faces 19 and a plurality of notches 29 which are located between adjacent side faces. The disc portions 119 are staggered in a circumferential direction with respect to the disc portions 119a so that the matches 20 areas-s and the flat side faces 19 of the disc portion are also staggered. The notches 20 of the disc portions 119 are aligned to form a plurality of channels, and the notches 20 of the disc portions 1i9a are aligned to form a plurality of other channels. The channels formed by the notches of the alternate sets of disc portions are consequently circumferentially staggered. Intermediate adjacent disc portions 11), 11%, separating discs or wall portions 118 are arranged which are formed with circumferentially spaced cutouts 2.8:: and with projecting portions 13. The projecting portions 13 and the cutouts 13a, respectively, are aligned in axial direction, and moreover, the cutouts 155a are aligned with the notches 20 of both sets of disc portions 119, ll9a.

As best seen in Fig. 3, a weft thread 16 is placed in each of the channels formed by the notches 2i? and cutouts 18a. As shown in Fig. 1, the warps pass between adjacent separating discs 11S and are supported on the side faces 19 of the disc portions 119 and 11%, respectively. It will be apparent that a warp passing over the side faces 19 of the disc portion 319 will pass over the weft 16 located in the notch 26, and under the weft 16 which passes across a side face 19. lowever, the weft which is supported on a side face of a disc 119 passes through the notch 20 of the next following disc 11% and under the warp which is supported on the side faces 1% of the respective disc 1190. The separating discs 118 aid in guiding the wefts and warps into the proper position. The circumferential positions of the side faces 19 and the notches 2% of the discs 119 and 119a are consecutively reversed so that the wefts can be properly inserted into the sheds in a manner which will be described hereinafter. Fig. 5 shows the arrangement of the disc portions 1119, 11% in a side view, the separating discs 118:: being omitted for the sake of clarity.

The shape of the disc portions 119, 119a may be modified as shown in Fig. 7. According to a further embodiment of the invention, shown in Fig. 6, rollers 21 are sup ported between adjacent separating discs 118 for rotation about the axes parallel to the axis of the rotary shed forming structure 1. In this embodiment of the present invention, the warps 2 are guided over the radially projecting warp-supporting means 21 shown to be rollers staggered in axial and circumferential directions corresponding to the radially projecting warp supporting ends of the side faces 19 shown in Fi g. 3 adjacent notches 2d, so that a weft passing through the cutouts 13a in the separating discs 113 passes through the slices formed by the staggered rollers 21. The construction illustrated in Fig. 6 has the advantage that warps do not slide on discs 119, 1.1% but pass over turning rollers 21 whereby friction is reduced.

It will be understood that the axial thickness of the discs 119, 11% can be varied according to the count of the web, while the separation discs are made as thin as possible. The number of notches in each separation disc 113, and thereby the number of wefts depends on the diameter of the drum and on the count of the fabric. Thin thread requires notches of only small depth so that a greater number of notches 20 can be provided on each disc. The number of warp supporting discs 119, 119a corresponds to the number of warps, and the axial length of the shed forming structure 1 corresponds to the width of the woven web.

The forward movement of the woven web is produced by the transporting rollers 9, 10, and its speed depends on the texture of the produced web. A very rapid forward movement of the web will produce a closely woven web since the projecting portionsltt of the separation discs 118 act as reeds to beat the weft threads 16 toward the guide member 6.

In order to adjust the operation to the type of produced fabric, at least some of the gears 11 are change gears for varying the speed of the transporting rollers 9, It The beating effect of the projections 18 can be influenced by oscillating the web by two heating means 4 and S which rotate in opposite directions. The heating means 4, 8 have projecting portions shown to be pins 4 and 8', respectively, eceentrically arranged with respect to the axis about which the beating means respectively rotate so that the web is longitudinally oscillated at every beating stroke of the discs 118.

From the above description it will be apparent that the present invention provides a rotary member 1 on which shed-forming means 19, 20 are arranged which are adapted to engage the warp threads and to simultaneously form a plurality of sheds in each warp thread during rotation of the rotary member. The faces 1) and the notches 20 of adjacent discs 119, 119a constitute sets of shed-forming means.

From the above description of the shed-forming device according to the present invention, it will be understood that sheds are formed in the warps during rotation of member 1. Into these sheds the wefts 16 are inserted by a set of weft inserting needles 13, as shown in Figs. 2 and 7. In the illustrated embodiment the weft inserting needles are fiat flexible band-shaped members and, as shown in Fig. 8, provided at the front end thereof with an eye 13a which is rounded at its forward portion 13]) and pointed at its rearward portion to form a wedge-shaped recess. During the operation of the loom according to the present invention, the needles 13 are consecutively advanced and retracted to move into and out of the channels formed by the notches 2t) and cutouts 18a. As clearly shown in Fig. 9, the needles 13 move through positions A, B to a completely advanced position C in which a weft 16 is placed in a shed formed on the shed-forming device 1 as described above. Since the portion 130 of the eye 13:: is wedge-shaped, the weft is clamped during advance movement of the needles 13 and is unwound from a supply reel 15, see Fig. l. Thereupon the needle 13 moves through positions D and E in which the weft end is engaged by a suitable tieing means, illustrated as a rubber disc 25, which frictionally engages the end face of the drum 1 and is rotated by the same. A stationary axle, not shown, is received by the bore 26 of the disc 25.

The Weft end engaged by the disc 25 in position E is held fast while the needle is retracted so that the weft moves to the forward rounded portion 13b of the eye of the respective needle and is no longer clamped. Consequently, the retracted needle 13 slides with its eye along the weft retained by disc 25 until it reaches its completely retracted position F, in which cutting means 27 cut off the thread. The needle is now ready for the next advancing movement. Pig. 9 consequently illustrates eight positions assumed by eight consecutive needles if the loom stops.

The set of Weft-inserting needles is operated in the following manner:

Each weft-inserting needle 13 is a flexible leaf and is wound on a drum 23. One drum 23 is provided for each needle 16, and the number of drums 23 and needles 16 corresponds to the number of cutouts 18a on the shed forming device. The drums 23 are turnable mounted on brackets 23a, each bracket 23a being secured to a support 24 which is connected to shaft 1:: and to member 1 for rotation therewith. Each drum 23 is connected to a pinion 23b for rotation therewith. Rack bars 14 are slidably mounted on the brackets 23a and mesh with the pinions 231) so that longitudinal reciprocation of the rack bars 14 produces a corresponding turning of the pinions 23b and drum 23 for advancing and retracting the weft inserting needles 13. A stationary sleeve 3t) surrounds the shaft 1a and carries a fixed cam 31. The fixed cam 31 cooperates with cam follower rollers 1% which are turnably mounted on the inner ends of the rack bars 14. The rack bars 14 tend to move to an inner position and are consecutively engaged by the stationary cam 31 during rotation of the member 24 with member ,1. The cam 31 has an ascending and descending cam track, and is in engagement with the cam followers. 14a associated with the drum 23 of the needles which are in the advanced positions A to E, illustrated in Fig. 9. The position C corresponds to the thickest portion of the cam 31. As the cam follower rollers 14a pass over the ascending cam track portion of the cam 31 the respective drums 23 are rotated by rack bars 14 andpinion 23b to advance the associated needles, and as the-cam followers 14a pass over the descending cam track portion the needles 13 are retracted and wound up on the respective drums 23. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, supply reels 15 for the wefts are secured to the supporting brackets 23a from which the weft is drawn during advancing of the needles, as described above.

According to a modified embodiment of the present invention, not shown in the drawing, tubular rigid needles may be provided which are reciprocated by'su'itable means between advanced and retracted positions so that .the loom must have twice the width of the shed-forming device.

When the supporting discs 119, 119a are shaped as shown in Fig. 7, the flexible needles 16 are particularly reliably guided. However, the weft threads provide a certain guidance for the reciprocating needles. The reciprocating movement of the weft-inserting needles is not particularly rapid, since a complete forward and backward stroke is made by each needle while the rotary shed-forming means turn through an angle between 90 and 270.

Shed-forming drums having twenty-four channels to receive twenty-four weft inserting needles may be con structed, and therefore it is possible to obtain forty-eight weft insertions per second, assuming a rotary speed of the shed-forming drum of two revolutions per second. Consequently, a reciprocating motion of each needle is performed in a quarter of a second so that the speedof the needles, considering the time periods during which the needles are not operated by the cam 31, is much lower than the speed of shuttles, and can be obtained without stress on the supporting structure since the needles have very small mass.

The cuteotr wefts may be tied in a known manner to form selvedges. The loom according to the present invention may be constructed with the axis of the shedforrning member horizontal or vertical.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above may also find a useful application in other types of looms.

While'the invention has been described and illustrated as embodied ina loom having a rotary shed-forming device, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown since various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

'What I claim is: i 1. A shed-forming structure adapted to be used in a -loomand-having a central axis and a plurality of circumferentially extending substantially identical wall portions each ofsaid wall portions being formed with a plurality of identical cut-outs spaced regularly about said axis,

and said wall portions being in registration with each other to form a series of cut-,outs aligned in axial direction, said cylindrical structure having a plurality of circumferentiah ly extending surface portions locatedbetween and separatijng said wall portions from each other, said surface portions having a plurality of identical, substantially flat faces said surface portions being formed with a plurality of notches respectively located between said faces and each having a Shape corresponding to and forming continuation of the series of cut-outs on opposite sides thereof, the surface portions and notches between two adjacent wall portions being angularly displaced with respect to the surface portions beyond said two adjacent wall portions by a distance at. least as great as the distance between adjacent cut-outs, so that each of said notches together with the cut-outs on opposite sides thereof form a channel parallcl to the axis of the structure adapted to receive a weft.

2. A shed-forming structure adapted to be used in a loom and having a central axis and a plurality of first discs forming a plurality of circumferentially extending substantially identical wall portions each of said first discs being formed with a plurality of identical cut-outs spaced regularly about said axis, and said first discs being in registration with each other to form a series of cut-outs aligned in axial direction, said cylindrical structure having a plurality of second discs forming a plurality of circumferentially extending surface portions located between and separating said wall portions from each other, said first discs and said second discs being assembled to be in contiguous relation with each other, said surface portions having a plurality of identical, substantially fiat faces said surface portions being formed with a plurality of notches respectively located between said faces and each having a shape corresponding to and forming a continuation of the series of cut-outs on opposite sides thereof, the surface portions and notches between two adjacent first discs being angularly displaced with respect to the surface portions beyond said two adjacent first discs by a distance at least as great as the distance between adjacent cut-outs, so that each of said notches togetherwith the cut-outs on opposite sides thereof form a channel parallel to the axis of the structure adapted to receive a weft.

3. A loom, comprising, in combination, a substantially cylindrical structure having a central axis and a plurality of circumferentially extending substantially identical wall portions, each of said wall portions being formed with a plurality of identical cut-outs spaced regularly about said axis, and said Wall portions being in registration with each other to form a series of cut-outs aligned in axial direction, said cylindrical structure having a plurality of circumferentially extending surface portions located between and separating said wall portions from each other, said surface portions having a plurality of identical, substantially flat faces said surface portions being formed with a plurality of notches respectively located between said faces and each having a shape corresponding to and forming continuation of the series of cut-outs on opposite sides thereof, the surface portions and notches between two adjacent wall portions being angularly displaced with respect to the surface portions beyond said two adjacent wall portions by a distance at least as great as the distance between adjacent cut-outs, so that each of said notches together with the cut-outs on opposite sides thereof form a channel parallel to the axis of the cylindrical structure; support means rotatably supporting said cylindrical structure for rotation about its central axis; and a plurality of weft supporting needles slidable in said channels of said cylindrical structure and supported thereby for rotational movement with said structure about said axis.

4. A loom, comprising, in combination, a substantially cylindrical structure having a central axis and a plurality of circumferentially extending substantially identical wall portions, each of said wall portions being formed with a plurality of identical cut-outs spaced regularly about said axis, and said wall portions being inregistration with each other to form a series of cut-outs aligned in axial direction, said cylindrical structure having a plurality of circumferentially extending surface portions located between and separating said wall portions from each other, said surface portions having a plurality of identical, substantially fiat faces said surface portions being'formed with a plurality of notches respectively located between said faces and each having a shape corresponding to and forming continuation of the series of cut-outs on opposite sides thereof, the surface portions between two adjacent wall portions being an 'gularly displaced with respect to the surface portions beof the cylindrical structure; support means rotatably supporting said cylindrical structure for rotation about its central axis; and a plurality of flexible weft supporting needles slidable in said channels of said cylindrical structure and suppolted thereby for rotational movement with said structure about said axis.

5. A loom, comprising, in combination, a substantially cylindrical structure having a central axis and a plurality of circumferentially extending substantially identical wall portions, each of said wall portions being formed with a plurality of identical cutouts spaced regularly about said axis, and said wall portions being in registration with each other to form a series of cutouts aligned in axial direction, said cylindrical structure having a plurality of circumferentially extending surface portions located between and separating said wall portions from each other, said surface portions having a plurality of identical, substantially flat faces, said surface portions being formed with a plurality of notches respectively located between said faces and each having a shape corresponding to and forming continuation of the series of cut-outs on opposite sides thereof, the surface portions and notches between two adjacent wall portions being angularly displaced with respect to the surface portions beyond said two adjacent wall portions by a distance at least as great as the distance between adjacent cut-outs, so that each of said notches together with the cut-outs on opposite sides thereof form a channel parallel to the axis of the cylindrical structure; support means rotatably supporting said cylindrical structure for rotation about its central axis; and a plurality of housings supported on said cylindrical structure, each having a flexible weft supporting needle means contained therein in coiled condition and supported by said drum, said needle means being movable to a straightened position extending into said channels.

6. A loom, comprising, in combination, a substantially cylindrical structure having a central axis and a plurality of circumferentially extending substantially identical wall portions, each of said wall portions being formed with a plurality of identical cut-outs spaced regularly about said axis, and said wall portions being in registration with each other to form a series of cutouts aligned in axial direction, said cylindrical structure having a plurality of circumferentially extending surface portions located between and separating said wall portions from each other, said surface portions having a plurality of identical, substantially flat faces, said surface portions being formed with a plurality of notches respectively located between said faces and each having a shape corresponding to and forming continuation of the series of cut-outs on opposite sides thereof, the surface portions and notches between two adjacent Wall portions being angularly displaced with respect to the surface portions beyond said two adjacent wall por tions by a distance at least as great as the distance between adjacent cut-outs, so that each of said notches together with the cut-outs on opposite sides thereof form a channel parallel to the axis of the cylindrical structure; support means rotatably supporting said cylindrical structure for rotation about its central axis; a plurality of yarn carriers mounted on said cylindrical structure for rotation therewith; and a plurality of weft supporting needles slidable in said channels of said cylindrical structure and supported thereby for rotational movement with said structure about said axis.

7. A substantially cylindrical structure adapted to be used in a loom and having a central axis and a plu rality of circumferentially extending substantially identical wall portions each of said wall portions being formed with a plurality of identical cut-outs spaced regularly about said axis, and said wall portions being in registration with each other to form a series of cut-outs aligned in axial direction, said cylindrical structure having a plurality of circumferentially extending surface portions located between and separating said wall portions from each other, said surface portions having a plurality of identical, substantially flat faces, said surface portions being formed with a plurality of notches respectively located between said faces and each having a shape corresponding to and forming continuation of the series of cut-outs on opposite sides thereof, said cylindrical structure having a plurality of rollers, each of said rollers being located adjacent one of said notches and being mounted for rotation about an axis parallel to the central axis of the cylindrical structure on two adjacent wall portions and adapted to support warps located on a surface portion between the two respective adjacent wall portions of said cylindrical structure, the surface portions and notches between two adjacent wall portions being angularly displaced with respect to the surface portions beyond said two adjacent wall portions by a distance at least as great as the distance between adjacent cut-outs, so that each of said notches together with the cut-outs on opposite sides thereof form a channel parallel to the axis of the cylindrical structure adapted to receive a weft.

8. A loom for weaving a web, comprising, in combination, a substantially cylindrical structure having a central axis and a plurality of circumferentially extending substantially identical wall portions each of said wall portions being formed with a plurality of identical cutouts spaced regularly about said axis, and said wall portions being in registration with each other to form a series of cut-outs aligned in axial direction, said cylindrical structure having a plurality of circumferentially extending surface portions located between and separating said wall portions from each other, said surface portions having a plurality of identical, substantially fiat faces, said surface portions being formed with a plurality of notches respectively located between said faces and each having a shape corresponding to and forming continuation of the series of cut-outs on opposite sides thereof, the surface portions and notches between two adjacent wall portions being angularly displaced with respect to the surface portions beyond said two adjacent wall portions by a distance at least as great as the distance between adjacent cut-outs, so that each of said notches together with the cut-outs on opposite sides thereof form a channel parallel to the axis of the cylindrical structure; support means rotatably supporting said cylindrical structure for rotation about its central axis; and a pair of spaced beating means, rotating in opposite directions about axis substantially parallel to said central axis of said cylindrical structure, each of said heating means having a projecting portion eccentrically arranged to the respective axis thereof and adapted to engage warps supported on said faces and imparting oscillations thereto.

9. A loom for weaving a web, comprising, in combination, an elongated substantially cylindrical structure having a central axis and a plurality of circumferentially extending substantially identical wall portions each of said wall portions being formed with a plurality of identical cut-outs spaced regularly about said axis, and said wall portions being in registration with each other to form a series of cut-outs aligned in axial direction, said cylindrical structure having a plurality of circumferentially extending surface portions located between and separating said wall portions from each other, said surface portions having a plurality of identical, substantially flat faces, said surface portions being formed with a plurality of notches respectively located between said faces and each having a shape corresponding to and forming continuation of the series of cut-outs on opposite sides thereof, the surface portions between two adjacent wall portions being angularly displaced with respect to the surface portions beyond said two adjacent wall portions by a distance at least as great as the distance between adjacent cut-outs, so that each of said 9 notches together with the cut-outs on opposite sides thereof form a channel parallel to the axis of the cylindrical structure; support means rotatably supporting said cylindrical, structure for rotation about its central axis; a

plurality of reciprocable needles operatively associated with said cylindrical structure and supported thereby adjacent one end thereof for rotational movement with said structure about said axis and reciprocating movement into and out of the channels formed in said cylindrical structure; transmission means connected to said needles imparting reciprocating motion thereto; a plurality of yarn carriers mounted on said cylindrical structure for rotation therewith, the yarn, carriers being associated with vthe needles and the yarn being adapted to be threaded through the needle and inserted thereby into the web during a forward stroke of the needles in said channels; and tying means operatively associated with said cylindrical structure and located adjacent the other end thereof for retaining the yarn during a return stroke of the needle. 7

10. A loom for weaving a web, comprising, in combination, an elongated substantially cylindrical structure having a central axis and a plurality of circumferential- 1y extending substantially identical wall portions each of said wall portions being formed with a plurality of identical cut-outs spaced regularly about said axis, and said wall portions being in registration with each other to forma series of cut-outs aligned in axial direction,

said cylindrical structure having a plurality of circumferentially extending surface portions located between and separating said wall portions from each other, said surface portions having a'plurality of identical, substantially fiat faces said surface portions being formed with a plurality of notches respectively located between said faces and each having a shape corresponding to and forming continuation of the series of cut-outs on opposite sides thereof, the surface portions and notches between two adjacent wall portions being angularly displaced with respect to the surface portions beyond said two adjacent wall portions by a distance at least as great as the distance between adjacent cut-outs, so that each of said notches together with the cut-outs on opposite sides thereof form a channel parallel to the axis of the cylindrical structure; support means rotatably supporting said cylindrical structure for rotation about its central axis; a plurality of reciprocable needles operatively associated with said cylindrical structure and supported thereby adjacent one end thereof for rotational movement with said structure about said axis and reciprocating movement into and out of the channels formed in said cylindrical structure; a plurality of yarn carriers mounted on said cylindrical structure for rotation therewith, the yarn carriers being associated with the needles and the yarn being adapted to be threaded through the needle and inserted thereby into the web during a forward stroke of the needles in said channels; and tieing means for retaining the weft during a return stroke of the needle, said tieing means including a wheel having a surface of a relatively high frictional coefiicient engaging the other end of said cylindrical structure.

11. A loom for weaving a web, comprising, in combination, an elongated substantially cylindrical structure having a central axis and a plurality of circumferentially extending substantially identical wall portions each of said wall portions being formed with a plurality of identical cut-outs spaced regularly about said axis, and said wall portions being in registration with each other to form a series of cut-outs aligned in axial direction, said cylindrical structure having a plurality of circumferentially extending surface portions located between and separating said wall portions from each other, said surface portions having a plurality of identical, substantially flat faces, said surface portions being formed with a plurality of notches respectively located between said f e and eachlhav ns a shap sor s p nd s t and forming continuation of the series .of cut-outs on opposite sides thereof, the surface portions and notches between two adjacent wall portions being angularly displaced with respect to the surface portions beyond said two adjacent wall portions by a distance at least as great as the distance between adjacent cut-outs, so that each of said notches together with the cut-outs on opposite sidesthereof form a channel parallel to the axis of the cylindrical structure; support means rotatably supporting said cylindrical structure for rotation about its central axis; a plurality of reciprocable needles operatively associated with said cylindrical structure and supported thereby adjacent one end thereof for rotational rnovement with said structure about said axis and reciprocating movement into and out of the channels formed in said cylindrical structure; a plurality of yarn carriers mounted on said cylindrical structure for rotation therewith the y car iers be n sso ted w h the edles and the yarn being adapted to be threaded through the needle and inserted thereby into the web during a forward stroke of the needles in said channels; tieing means operatively associated with said cylindrical structure and located adjacent the other end thereof for frictionally retaining the wefts during a return stroke of the needle; and cutting means for cutting the thread located adjacent said one end of said cylindrical structure and adapted to cut the thread after the return stroke of the needle.

12, In a oom, a shod-f rming de i e comprising, in combination, a rotary drum having an axis of rotation and being composed of two sets of alternately arranged transverse disc portions, each of said disc portions having a plurality of peripheral side faces and being formed t a p ura ty o no ches, s s ch lo ated between t o adj cen side f ces, sa d disc portions of h of said sets being staggered relative to the disc portions of other of said sets so that the notches of each set of disc portions are aligned to form a plurality of channels extending in axial direction of said drum, the channels formed by the notches of said alternate sets of disc portions, respectively, being circumferentially staggered, said side faces being adapted to support warp threads extending normal to the axis of said rotary memferential direction, and including a set of separating discs,

each separating disc located between two adjacent disc portions, said separating discs being formed with circumferentially spaced cut-outs aligned with said channels formed by said notches of said two sets of disc portions, said separating discs being adapted to separate adjacent warps supported on said disc portions.

14. In a loom, a shedaforming device comprising, in combination, a rotary member having an axis of rotation and a portion adapted to move along a circular path in the direction of a set of warps which extend transverse to said axis of rotation; and shed-forming means on said portion of said rotary member spaced in circumferential and axial directions of the same and adapted to engage the warps and to simultaneously form a plugality of warp sheds during rotation of said rotary mem- 15. In a loom, a shed-forming device comprising, in combination, a rotary member having an axis of rotation and a portion adapted to move along a circular path in the direction of a set of warps which extend transverse to said axis of rotation; and a plurality of axially spaced sets of circumferentially spaced shed-forming means on said portion, each set of shed-forming means moving along a circular path during rotation of said roamaoss tary member and being adapted to support a pair of adjacent warps so that each shed-forming means thereof forms a shed during rotation of said rotary member, the shed-forming means of adjacent sets of shed-forming means being staggered relative to each other in circumferential direction so that the sheds produced by adjacent sets of shed-forming means are staggered.

16. In a loom, a shed-forming device comprising, in combination, a rotary member having an axis of rotation and a portion adapted to move along a circular path in the direction of a set of warps which extend transverse to said axis of rotation; and a plurality of axially spaced sets of circumferentially spaced radially projecting warp supporting means on said portion, each set of radially projecting warp supporting means moving along a circular path during rotation of said rotary member and being adapted to support a warp at spaced points of said warp during rotation of said rotary memher, said projecting warp supporting means of adjacent sets of warp supporting means being staggered relative to each other in circumferential direction so that the points at which adjacent warps are supported are stag- 'gered whereby sheds are formed in said warps during rotation of said rotary member.

17. In a loom, a shed-forming device comprising, in combination, a rotary member having an axis of rotation and a portion adapted to move along a circular path in the direction of a set of warps which extend transverse to said axis of rotation; a plurality of axially spaced sets of circumferentially spaced radially projecting warp supporting means on said portion, each set of radially projecting warp supporting means moving along a circular path during rotation of said rotary member and being adapted to support a warp at spaced points of said warp during rotation of said rotary member, said projecting warp supporting means of adjacent sets of warp supporting means being staggered relative to each other in circumferential direction so that the points at which adjacent warps are supported are staggered whereby sheds are formed in said warps during rotation of said rotary member; and a set of axially spaced separating wall portions, each of said wall portions being located intermediate two adjacent sets of warp supporting means, said separating wall portions being formed with circumferentially spaced cutouts, said wall portions of said set of wall portions being arranged with said cutouts aligned in axial direction of said rotary member and forming circumferentially spaced axially extending channels for guiding wefts, said cutouts and said channels being staggered in circumferential direction with respect to said projecting warp supporting means.

18. A shed-forming device as claimed in claim 17, wherein said warp supporting means are rollers, each of said rollers being mounted for rotation about an axis parallel to the axis of rotation of said rotary member on two adjacent wall portions and extending between the same.

19. In a loom, in combination, a rotary member having an axis of rotation and a portion adapted to move along a circular path in the direction of a set of warps which extend transverse to said axis of rotation; shedforming means on said portion of said rotary member spaced in circumferential and axial directions of the same and adapted to engage the warps and to simultaneously form a plurality of Warp sheds during rotation of said rotary member; and a set of weft inserting needles movable 'in axial direction of said rotary member for inserting wefts into the sheds formed by said shed-forming means in the warps.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,54l,000 Riley June 9, 1925 1,885,522 King Nov. 1, 1932 FOREIGN PATENTS 164,808 Switzerland Jan. 2, 1934 389,280 Germany Oct, 4, 1924 

